Chapter Text
Jesse’s ears flick to the call of birdsong and he grumbles against the light of the coming dawn that manages to sneak in past the blinds. His tail flicks as he rolls his huge body over, the blankets falling off of his flank with the movement. Above him, Jesse hears Hanzo grumble as he’s also forced to shift from laying comfortably over Jesse’s back. The smaller cervitaur seems to be intent on keeping the draft horse-sized centaur in bed though, immediately latching onto Jesse in his half-asleep state. Jesse sighs affectionately as Hanzo nuzzles into his shoulder and his arms wrap around his middle.
“Heh, G’mornin’ to ya too, sweetheart,” Jesse greets as he wraps his own arm around Hanzo, tugging him in close, “Guessin’ you wouldn’t be opposed to stealin’ another five minutes of shut-eye then?”
“You’d be correct,” Hanzo murmurs, his soft ears flicking before he cozies further into Jesse’s larger form, his face tucking into Jesse’s neck. Ever mindful of his horns. “Your warlock friend can open the store for you if you’re late.”
“Don’t think Ashe would appreciate that,” Jesse says with a soft laugh, though he too makes no move to fully roll out of bed.
Ashe’s wrath is more than a little worth it to steal an extra moment or two to cuddle up with Hanzo. Jesse does just that, wrapping both his arms around the cervitaur’s human torso to pull him closer. Hanzo nuzzles in and Jesse sighs happily. He could get used to this. Having Hanzo here, to wake up to him, is incredibly wonderful. Jesse absentmindedly runs his fingers through Hanzo’s hair, daydreaming about how he’d braid it on their wedding day. The thought nearly makes him swoon. He’s thankful he’s still laying down, lest he stamps his hooves giddily like a foolish foal.
As the days wear on and the more he spends time with Hanzo, the deeper their relationship becomes. It only makes worse the yearning in Jesse’s heart to take their relationship further. Humans would simply call it engagement, but to centaurs like Jesse, it's the actual proper courtship before a pair is wed. Jesse’s not sure if it's the same for cervitaurs like Hanzo.
In his heart, he hopes that Hanzo will share his own courtship customs if he accepts Jesse’s suit. Jesse’s just not really figured out how to ask. Though he plans to, and soon. Centaurs usually initiate a courtship with their desired partners by presenting them with a wreath of flowers. Hanzo loves the flowers that grow up by the falls, it’s his favourite spot even after moving to the small town of Nivi. Jesse’s glad that the spot still makes Hanzo’s face soften with wonder and awe each time they can find the time to go up there.
Maybe when he proposes courtship, he will take Hanzo up there, ask him next to the falls. Pack a big romantic lunch and everything just like their first date. He’s lost in his daydream so deeply that Jesse nearly misses when Hanzo heaves a sigh and starts shuffling off of the bed to get up. Jesse takes it as his own cue to roll himself off of their comfortable mattress and start going about preparing for work himself.
He does so at Hanzo’s side, both of them standing side by side in Jesse’s bathroom. It’s large enough to accommodate his larger centaur form, so Hanzo fits in easily. Hanzo sleepily brushes his teeth and Jesse trims his beard, though he reaches over and gently plucks a bit of thread off of Hanzo’s left antler.
Hanzo hums in thanks, stepping so he can give Jesse a friendly nudge. His hooves make cute little taps on the bathroom floor when he leaves Jesse’s side, much more graceful than Jesse’s clomping. Hanzo takes the shower first, and Jesse goes and retrieves Hanzo’s clothes that he packed for his overnight stay. When Hanzo is out of the shower, Jesse helps pat Hanzo dry with the fluffiest towel he owns. Then it’s Jesse’s turn.
He’d be lying if his mind didn’t wander back to this becoming their every day together. Waking up, helping each other get ready for their days. Domestic bliss Jesse finds himself yearning for. He must be wearing a dopey smile still when he steps out of the shower because Hanzo quirks an eyebrow even as he steps up to Jesse with another of his fluffy towels.
“What are you smiling about?” Hanzo asks, wrapping the towel around Jesse’s upper shoulders so he can more easily dry Jesse’s wet mane, “You seem particularly besotted today.”
“Oh! Uh.” Jesse leans down so Hanzo can reach the top of his head easier, his ears flicking in reflex when Hanzo starts to rub them with the towel. Since all they are doing right now is preparing for their respective days and it's not a very romantic moment to spring a talk about courtship on Hanzo, Jesse plays it safe by saying, “I was just thinkin’ bout when we first met, an’ that summer y’know. We made lots of good memories.”
Hanzo’s dark eyes go impossibly soft and fond. “That we did, Jesse.”
Jesse’s own face melts into a smile, and he leans down enough to give Hanzo a peck on the lips. He can feel the way Hanzo smiles against his lips before the cervitaur kisses him back sweetly. When they pull from each other, Jesse’s absolutely certain he’s once more wearing that painfully lovestruck look again, but the way Hanzo’s cheeks are now faintly pink is a sure-fire way to know that he’s not the only one.
It does take Jesse back to their first summer together. Their first steps into this new, fledgling romance that has since deepened. The memories don’t leave him either, they follow him all the way to work, and he spends his time between customers reminiscing about his and Hanzo’s first meeting...